And here are several versions of the blazons above plus one, brilliantly rendered by Rhys Davies, to whom we are grateful for his permission to post them here. The 4th blazon on the right is of the Sodor Regiment of the Territorial Army. The Regiment's colors are described by the Rev. Awdry in The Island of Sodor as follows in heraldric terms: Sable two gloves argent saltairewise, charged in fess with the Rose of Lancaster proper. Click any of the images below to view them in greater detail.

The NWR

Tidmouth

Crovan's Gate

Sodor Regiment

Below, the Rev. Awdry's handwritten book chronicling Sodor's history

The following notes from "The Island of Sodor"
by the Rev. W. Awdry were excellently compiled by Tony Griggs, to whom many
thanks.

Introduction

About half the land is cultivated; oats, barley and turnips are the chief crops.
Fishing is important, and the Tidmouth Kipper is a much prized breakfast delicacy.
Lead, zinc and silver is mined, and the island stone has excellent weather-resisting
properties. The language, Sudric, is fast dying out and is akin to Manx and
Gaelic. The rugged and beautiful scenery, and the fishing, particularly in the
mountain lakes, attract holidaymakers from all parts. Aluminium ore (bauxite)
is mined at Peel Godred by the British Aluminium Company, and as this process
requires a large amount of electricity, a hydroelectric power station was opened
nearby in 1923. Tidmouth - once the haunt of smugglers - now contributes to
the country's revenues by being an excellent port. The Docks are owned by the
N.W.R. As it is nearer to Douglas and Belfast, many travellers prefer to embark
there rather than Liverpool or Fleetwood.

A Brief History Of Sodor

Canon Dreswick's History of Sodor, 4 vols. (Chatter & Windows, Suddery
1899-1912), is the standard history of the island, and still recognised as a
masterpiece of scholarship and research. Its bulk makes it appear somewhat daunting;
but it is written with such lightness of touch and subtle humour as to grip
the general reader. It was written at Cronk Abbey following a severe illness.

Early History - Conversion to Christianity

The Romans apparently did not bother with Sodor, they looked at it from their
camp at Lancaster, made a landing at what is now Ballahoo, but were driven off,
and retired, The inhabitants gave no trouble and so were left alone.

A more successful conquering was done by the 5th century when there was an
Irish missionary from the "St Patrick's school" named Luoc. He and
companions set out for Man in coracles but Luoc fell asleep, was blown off course
and ended up on the shore in Suddery bay. The natives treated him kindly and
he built a "keeill". He preached to the locals and a church was built on the site,
which later became Suddery Cathedral. He is remembered in the city's motto Luoc
Sodoris Lux (Luoc the light of Sodor), and the coat of arms which shows him
dressed as a bishop, standing in a coracle holding a crozier. Suddery also became
the ancient capital of Sodor.

The Island was christianised by men of the "Iona School", who arrived
on Sodor at different times during the 6th Century such as Saint Abban, Saint
Ronan, and Saint Brendan, and settled in the populated South. Saint Machan however
settled in a cave in the north near Culdee Fell (Hill of holy men). People
came from far around to be baptised the lake that now bears his name There is
a legend of how a Viking warband who planned to plunder from where they landed
at Harwick, were converted by St Machan on meeting him due to his fearlessness.
This is probably untrue however as Viking raids did not begin on the island
until the 8th century, Machan living in the 6th century. St Machan has been
adopted as the patron saint of Sodor and St Machan's day is 30 April. His cave
has become a place of pilgrimage and although during the Norse period the faith
was wiped out in Man, it was never quite extinguished in Sodor.

Norse invasions (10th Century AD)

Godred MacHarold, known in Sudrian legend as King Orry or Starstrider, was
King of Sodor and Man 979-989. He was the younger son of Harold, the Danish
king of Limerick. Taking advantage of the defeat of the Norse by the Irish,
he harried Wales, then landed at Jurdy, IOM on a starlit night.

Godred spoke to the unfamiliar locals and pointed to the stars reflecting in
the water and said "there is the path running from my county to this place.
That is my road to fame and fortune". Godred gave Sodor and Man ten years
of security and his reign is therefore remembered as a golden age. He is remembered
affectionately as King Orry in Sodor. Godred fought off attempts by Earl Sigurd
of Orkney to reclaim the islands, in Man in 982 and Sodor in 984 at a ford near
Peel Godred (named after him) which has now been replaced by a bridge and known
as King Orry's bridge.

Sigurd however was not captured during the battles and five years later he
returned. In a battle on Man, Godred and his two elder sons were killed. However,
his wife, a Manx girl, his daughter Gudrun and his youngest son Harold escaped
to Islay.

In 1014 however Sigurd fell at the battle of Clontarf in Ireland. Sigurd's
heir, Thorfinn was only a baby at this time and Harold saw his opportunity and
claimed Sodor and Man. He ruled for 20 years before Torfinn was able to drive
him out. Harold's son was killed in battle, but Harold escaped to Iceland where
he married again in 1044. A son, Godred was born in 1045; but Harold died in
an affray in 1047.

Ogmund was the son of Sigurd of Cronk and born in Iceland in 1045, to Sigurd's
wife Helga. They returned from Iceland with young Godred Crovan and his mother
Gerda. The two lads were bought up together, and later as step brothers -- as
on Helga's death, Sigurd married Gerda. Sigurd was the leading man in Sodor
on his death in 1063 and Ogmund succeeded him in this position.

By the time Thorfinn's power was waning, Godred set about regaining his father's
former kingdom, leaving Ogmund in Sodor. Ogmund welcomed Thorkell of Norwich
to Sodor and settled his men around the island, squeezing the last of Fingall's
soldiers from the island. With Sodor secure, Godred could continue his quest
to conquer The Isles, Dublin and finally Man at the battle of Sky Hill in 1079.
Ogmund fell in this battle and the Ogmund saga was sung at his funeral. It now
also describes events after his death such as the Norman invasions of the island
in 1089 and 1094.

The Kingdom Of Sodor (1099 - 1263)

After two unprovoked invasions, Sudrians began to regard Norman England as
the Arch Enemy to be resisted at all costs. Following Godred Crovan's death,
the regency of Dublin decided with Manx approval, to send Olaf (Godred's child
heir) to be brought up at the court of King Henry I. Sudrians took a poor view
of this and decided to break away.

There move was approved by Magnus Barford, King of Norway, whose fleet, deployed
in the area, was sufficient to intimidate against any reprisals from Dublin.

Sigmund was elected first King of an independent Sodor. He was crowned at Peel
Godred, but chose to make Cronk his capital. He reigned until 1116 and was succeeded
by his son Gunnar. Sigmund's dynasty ruled in Sodor for some 160 years till
in 1263 both king Andreas and his son Peter were killed in battle against Alexander
III of Scotland at Largs.

The Regency (1263-1404)

Peter, aged 23, left no legitimate heir. The Scots claimed Sodor and invaded.
The Sudrians fought them off, but the Scots were one of Sodor's predatory neighbours
who had designs on the island. The next 140 years are known as the Regency or
Resistance. With the possibility of Scottish attack, a successor with ability
rather than royal descent was needed. This came in the form of Sir Harold Marown.
His claim to the throne was weak and could therefore only be a regency.

In 1263 Alexander III claimed Sodor and in 1267 he bought Man from its last
king, with the power struggle between England and Scotland between 1290 and
1333 the land changed hands many times according to who was uppermost at the
time. Edward III finally annexed them in 1333, and gave them to the Monatacutes
who fifty years later sold them to William le Scrope. Henry IV beheaded Scrope
in 1399 and gave them to the Percy Family. The annexation of Sodor did not imply
possession of occupation, but usually that the new owners had a large scale
rebellion on their hands, with locals retreating to the hills and periodically
attacking the triangle between Brendam, Cronk and Rolf's Castle, which was usually
occupied.

As the result of a rebellion in 1404, Henry IV gave Man to the Stanley Family.
Sudrians had never acknowledged the Percys and took delight in expelling them
under the leadership of Sir Arnold de Normanby, their regent. Sir Peter de Rigby
was Henry IV's commander, and during the campaign he and Sir Arnold developed
a considerable liking and respect for each other.

On Sir Arnold's surrender of the Island and his Regency, Henry showed wisdom
and recommitted its government to those who effectively had it before, i.e.
Sir Arnold and the Abbot of Cronk. Some Sudrians were a little reluctant to
accept the new order, but Henry created Sir Arnold, Earl of Sodor and showed
Sudrians that he respected their former regent, whilst bringing the resistance
to an end and attaching Sodor to the English Crown.

The Reformation (1540-1600)

Michael Colden, Abbot of Cronk and Sir Geoffrey Regaby had made realisations
about the possibility of the reformation and both saw it as undesirable or allow
people to be harassed or persecuted. They were also aware of King Henry's wishes
and of Cromwell's thievish plans and were determined to ensure that the former
Abbey revenues were retained and for the benefit of the Church and the island,
and not filched away by Cromwell's rapacious friends. To this period - 1540
onwards - many churches and schools were built on the island where they were
most needed and in many of these the former brethren of the Abbey, both lay
and otherwise, found employment.

Their policy of "no pressure" ensured that during the reign of Edward
VI, relations between the Roman Catholics and Church of England were uniformly
good, and the Roman Catholic reaction which swept horrifically through England
during Queen Mary's reign, hardly touched Sodor. Colden died in 1565 but his
policy was continued by Timothy Smeale, allowing Roman Catholics to worship
at their parish Churches. It was in 1570 - when Pope Pius' Bull excommunicated
Queen Elizabeth I - that some felt reluctantly that they must be recusants and
worship separately. They made it clearly understood that while in matters of
religion they could not accept Queen Elizabeth as Head of the Church, this in
no way affected their loyalty to her as head of state. By 1600 most of the older
generation had gone and as children gravitated to the C. of E., there remained
no ill feeling.

The Modern Era (1715 - present)

The Earldom was extinguished by Attainder in 1715; but on the conclusion of
his first term of office as Lieut. Governor in 1873 Her Majesty Queen Victoria
was gracious enough to respond to popular petition and restored to John Arnold
Norramby the Earldom of Sodor and the estates of Ulfstead Castle. The earls
of Sodor are active on the Council of the Duchy of Lancaster, and as there is
no Duke of Lancaster, the Earl is referred to as a Duke by Sudrians.

The next major chapter in Sodor's History was the coming of the railways which
began which "The Railroad" from Ward Fell to Balladswail in 1806.
The further rail investment in the island, such as the building in 1914/15 of
The North Western Railway as a strategic railway to protect the Mersey and Liverpool
during the first World War, later led to the island's growth and prosperity
as a tourist area, as well as for the local industries.

History Of Sudrian Railways

OUTLINE HISTORY

A government-sponsored amalgamation of the standard gauge railways in the Island
occurred in 1914 as a strategic railway for coastal defence. The railways concerned
were:
• The Sodor & Mainland (1853-1914) Ballahoo - Kirkronan
• The Tidmouth Knapford & Elsbridge (1883-1914) Tidmouth - Elsbridge
(Knapford & Elsbridge till 1908 when line extended to Tidmouth)
• The Wellsworth and Suddery (1870-1914) Crosby - Brendam with extension
from Crosby to Knapford in 1912 to amalgamate with TK&E. In 1948 it became
the North Western Region of BR but this term is never used as the railway kept
its operating independence and with privatisation in the early 1990s it is once
again officially the North Western Railway! The track is not owned by a separate
concern, but by the same company as on the Isle of Wight.

MAINLINE

BARROW-IN-FURNESS

The NWR have had running powers into Barrow Central Station since the agreement
with the LMS in 1925. For through trains, engines from the NWR are detached
and BR engines take over. Since 1925 the NWR has also had its own loco shed,
turntable and servicing facility here. There is also a joint goods yard for
exchange traffic.

THE BRIDGE OVER THE WALNEY CHANNELThere is a Schertzer Rolling lift Bridge of 120ft Span and double track,
designed by Mr Topham Hatt and erected in 1915. Until the construction of the
Jubilee Road Bridge in 1977 The NWR had rights of car-ferry and worked an intensive
and profitable service.

BR have running powers over the Bridge to operate the joint NWR/BR suburban
Service to Norramby as agreed with LMS in 1925.

VICARSTOWN
In 1915 the NWR built their Headquarters here; but in after the 1925 agreement
there was no longer need of it and in 1927/8 it was closed and a much smaller
replacement was built for the locomotives operating the car ferry service. The
turntable was relocated at Barrow.

THE BALLAHOO TUNNELS
The NWR was built as a strategic Railway in time of emergency (1915). Speed
and cheapness of construction were important and so a single bore was cut .
During construction a mid section collapsed leaving 2 tunnels (the western 1
mile and the Eastern 450 yards). In 1922 a second bore was cut to provide a
double track.

CROVAN'S GATE
In 1915 the NWR established repair shops here. They have been expanded since
1925 and are now able to tackle any locomotive rebuilding or overhaul.

KELLSTHORPE ROAD
Junction for Kirkronan Branch

KILLDANE JUNCTION
Junction For Peel Godred Branch. Since the building of the railway, Killdane
is virtually a suburb of Cronk. An hourly (half hourly at peak times) service
is provided. Four passenger trains a day continue along the Peel Godred Branch,
hauled by electric locomotives. In 1967 a ballast processing plant and distribution
centre was set up by the Arlesdale Ballast & Granite Co. A Motorail Terminal
was opened here in 1977.

CRONK
Busy town.

MARON
The station is a compulsory stop for all Down, loose coupled and unfitted goods
trains for brakes to be pinned down. Banking engines use the station cross over
for the run back to Wellsworth.

GORDON'S HILL
Cronk and Maron are 280ft above Suddery Junction and so there are 5 miles with
a ruling gradient of 1 in 75. A new loco named Gordon stalled here in 1922 and
thus the name.

SUDDERY JUNCTION
Gordon's Hill linked the two main standard gauge lines in the area. The Sodor
& Mainland (S&M) and the Tidmouth Wellsworth and Suddery (TW&S).
The TW&S was a coastal line, often no more than 20 ft above sea level.
The signal box here controls entry to and from the Branch to Suddery and Brendam.

CROSBY TUNNEL
One mile in length. Opened in 1912 following the agreement made in that year
to amalgamate the Tidmouth Knapford and Elsbridge Railway (TK&E) to form
the Tidmouth Wellsworth and Suddery Railway. Doubled in 1915 for opening of
the NWR

KNAPFORD
Small Town; Pop 2,000 Farming, fishing, fowling. Former lead mines. Now Junction
for Ffarquhar, extensive Stone Traffic by Ffarquhar Quarry Company. Dormitory
For Tidmouth.
The present station is the third on the site and dates from 1956 when the Knapford
Harbour development scheme was launched after congestion at Tidmouth. There
are two stations - Knapford Junction and Knapford Harbour. There have been two
others, the previous ones were south of the river.
Knapford is a useful supplementary harbour but not an ideal one which is why
the Arlesburgh Branch reopened in 1966 as another alternative.

TIDMOUTH
Borough Pop 35,000 Port for I.o.M. & N.Ireland. H.Q. of NWR Royal Charter
1918. Shipbuilding, factories, kippers, heavy industry. The railway reached
Tidmouth in 1905 by means of a road-side tramway from Knapford; however a gale
in the autumn of 1908 destroyed it. In 1910 a treasury grant was obtained and
a single tunnel was built by the TK&E light railway. In 1916 the NWR completed
a double track tunnel and Tidmouth's usefulness as a harbour started to be exploited.
The passenger station has four terminal roads and one through road spanned by
a glass roof. The through road leads to the Arlesburgh Branch.
There is a locomotive shed, and turntable and also the Headquarters of The NWR
are here

THE NORRAMBY BRANCH
BALLAHOOBarrow dormitory town served by Joint BR NWR Service from Barrow (Hourly,
half-hourly at peak times).

NORRAMBYAttractive Seaside town, terminus of suburban Service.

KIRK RONAN BRANCH
ROLF'S CASTLERolf's castle began as merely a fortified church, and a curtain wall is
a relatively late addition.
Castle of Bishop of Sodor and Man 1070-79

KIRK RONANIn 1865 the Sodor and Mainland (S&M) reached this fishing port. They
hoped to start a steamer service to Dublin. This failed but ore from Crovan's
Gate began to be transported for shipment. Dublin sailings ran daily 1920-1925,
which worried LMS, but part of the agreement of 1925 meant that they would run
on Tuesdays & Fridays only.

PEEL GODRED BRANCH
Act of 1853 by S&M obtained powers but never built. These powers passed
to the NWR. In 1923 the Peel Godred Power Company was formed to build a hydro-electric
power station; the line was built to transport equipment and they paid for half
the cost. It leaves the main line at Killdane and there is electric traction
with power supplied from the power station. Traffic is mainly freight. There
are eight trains a day to Killdane, four of which continue (by steam) to Cronk.

ABBEY
Opened as private Station in 1923 serving Cronk Abbey School. Normally unstaffed
except at beginning and end of school terms.

KIRK MACHAN
Property of Culdee Fell Railway and opened in 1900. The Peel Branch Trains call
at the eastern face of the platform and must pay rent. Unstaffed in winter when
mountain Railway does not operate. There is a passing loop and exchange siding
with CFR

PEEL GODRED
The station is reached after the line has passed through a tunnel. A mile beyond
the town is The Sodor Aluminium Works where there are a fan of sidings. Alumna
is carried from Tidmouth to Peel Godred and the ingots to Barrow & England.

THE BRENDAM BRANCH
This branch was originally part of the main line of the Wellsworth & Suddery
(W&S) opened in 1870, running from Crosby to Brendam. The eastern end was
demoted to a branch line in 1915 when the NWR opened.
There is extensive china clay traffic from Brendam. There are peak through trains
to and from Tidmouth, at other times there is a local service from Wellsworth
to Brendam.

SUDDERY
As Suddery , the ancient capital, was once the seat of a Bishop, it still claims
to be a city. It was also a fortified town, but the castle was relatively late.
This is the only Norman castle and was always held by the city and not by a
Baron. The site was refortified in Napoleonic times, but the batteries built
then have not spoilt its appearance.
The port originally had a rail connection but as the harbour was too poor they
have now been removed. There were three Bishops of Sodor during the twelfth
century but due to disputes between the Bishop of Trondheim, Argyll and the
Archbishop of York as to who should chose him, it was decided that a Bishop
would be shared with the Isle of Man.

BRENDAM
Home of The Sodor China clay company since the discovery of the beds in 1948.
There is a private railway from the Station and Harbour to the China Clay works

THE FFARQUHAR BRANCH
There are seven passenger trains daily between Knapford and Ffarquhar

KNAPFORD JUNCTION
The Harbour line from Elsbridge to Knapford was opened in 1885 and used horse
traction. In 1905 the firm of A W Dry and Co. extended the line to the better
port of Tidmouth as means of a road side tramway with "coffee pot"
engines. This line was destroyed in 1908 and a new tunnel made in 1910. Amalgamation
came in 1912 with the Wellsworth and Suddery Railway and the connection line
built from Knapford to Crosby. When the NWR opened the Coffee pot engines remained
in service but a bay platform was used at Knapford. Toryreck mines closed in
1925 but there was possibilities of new stone traffic from Ffarquhar and the
line was extended. In 1956 the Knapford Harbour improvement scheme was started.
The branch was rebuilt on an easier gradient and the stations moved to the North
side of the river. The original line is now only used as freight.

DRYAW
Dryaw has two stations; the original one on the harbour line is now only a freight
depot, the new one being used for passengers, even though it is less convenient
for the Village.

TORYRECK
There were originally lead mines here but these closed in 1930. The main branch
joins the harbour line just to the west of the station. There is a little used
passing loop but only one platform. There is a goods shed and cattle dock too.

ELSBRIDGE
Village; Pop 500. Ancient Church and bridge. Market farming, fishing, boating.
From 1910 to 1925 Elsbridge was the terminus of the branch but when the Ffarquhar
quarry opened the line was extended. The Quarry company supplied stone and half
the cost of the Hackenbeck Tunnel

FFARQUHAR
The railhead for Ulfstead after further extension to Ulfstead was abandoned.
There is one passenger platform, milk dock, cattle dock, and an oil depot.
There are ten trains a day and these connect with Sodor Roadway bus services
which run from the Station Forecourt.

THE QUARRY TRAMWAY
There are four passenger trains a day from Ffarquhar for workers at the quarry
and freight trains when required. At the quarry there is a shunting loco owned
by the Ffarquhar Quarry Company and sidings. There is only a platform and waiting
shelter at the quarry. The stone is used widely on Sodor and on the mainland
for buildings because of its hardness.

ULFSTEAD
Ulfstead was established as a fortress, but once the Scots were out it fell
into decay. Archaeologists find it especially interesting as it is all of one
period.

THE ARLESBURGH BRANCH
Single line extension of the mainline built in 1916 after a Government order,
originally intended to reach Harwick, but by the time Arlesburgh was reached
there was no longer a need for further extension. Material from the Arlesdale
mines was needed for the war effort, but when the mines closed in 1947 there
was not enough traffic. Permission was requested to close the line, but this
being refused, a minimal service only was operated.

In 1964/5 There was need for a new harbour and the line was reinstated. There
is an hourly passenger service to Tidmouth with ballast from the Arlesdale mines
also being carried.

HAULTRAUGH
Intermediate station on branch with an island platform allowing passing of trains.

ARLESBURGH
An Ancient Port, stockaded by King Orry. The Mid Sodor Railway operated a steamer
service to Douglas but the Mid Sodor Railway ceased its passenger service in
1936 and closed completely in 1947.

HARWICK
A small town, Pop 5869 (1981). There is a light house, lifeboat, and coastguard.
It remains a fishing port and there is a ferry service to Ramsey. It attracts
tourists who want peace and quiet.

SKARLOEY RAILWAY
It began as a plate way from Ward Fell to Balladswail and was worked by gravity.
It opened in 1806. It carried mineral traffic that was shipped from Balladswail.
Following the Festiniog's lead in 1863 James Spooner was engaged to survey a
line for steam locomotives. It was also planned to develop passenger traffic
for tourists to the Springs at Skarloey where there would be hotels and guest
houses. Two steam locomotives were ordered in joint batch with the Tallylyn
Railway from Fletcher Jennings of Whitehaven and carriages from Brown Marshall.
The summer visitor numbers fell, with signs that the copper in the mines was
beginning to wear thin when slate was found, giving a new source of traffic.
After World War II things were in a dreadful state, and the old mines had become
ammunition dumps. After the War tourist traffic increased and two replacement
engines were bought second hand. This was due to the discovery of The Book of
Sir Harold at Ulfstead Castle which revealed that Skarloey was his secret sanctuary
and archaeological evidence backed this. Also the slate was pure and free from
metallic impurities which meant it was in demand as other slate demand fell.

In 1963 a new lake loop line was opened around Skarloey lake for tourists and
to celebrate the centenary. This was paid for mainly by the sale of the mines
at Ward Fell to the Ministry of Defence in 1960.

THE CULDEE FELL RAILWAY
This was the brainchild of the tourist Mid Sodor Railway. It is a rack and pinion
railway that climbs to the summit of Culdee Fell. It was began in 1897 on the
success of the Snowdon Mountain Railway opened shortly before. The line was
inspected in March 1900 and opened to the public on Whit Monday, but after just
a month one of the locomotives fell down the hill side and the line remained
closed until the following season whilst improvements were made. The locomotives
are Swiss, and although the first were built in 1900, several more have been
built since. It is popular with tourists and runs from Easter to Michaelmas,
maintenance being undertaken in the winter.

THE ARLESDALE RAILWAY
This is a 15 inch gauge railway running from Arlesburgh along the route of the
Mid Sodor Railway to Arlesdale. It opened in Easter 1967. As well as the conveyance
of tourists by 1/3 scale replica steam locomotives, the intention of the line
was also for the movement of waste materials from some of the abandoned mines
in the Arlesdale area for use as ballast. For information on the route of the
Line see Mid Sodor Notes.